Winding barrel for watches



May 15, 11951 HALL 295529963 WINDING BARREL FOR WATCHES Filed Sept. 5, 1946 f 4/ J I I 2/ 24 V5 62 6 22 0 T11 Inventor \mni 24 |l' Erneat HEIN- mfl 5 Atlo rneys Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINDING BARREL FORWATCHES Ernest Hall, Poplar Blair, Mo.

Application September 5, 1946, Serial N 0. 694,97 6

1 Claim.

This invention relates to winding barrels for watches and other timepieces, the principal object being to provide a. novel wear resisting jewel assembly, contemplated to effect much smoother functioning of the usual arbor and to increase general efficiency.

Another object of the invention is to improve winding barrels for watches by the provision of jewels which are set in such a manner as to allow for longer operation of a watch, due to decreased friction between the moving and stationary parts of the barrel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a winding barrel for watches wherein the usual arbor is entirely separated from the barrel through the medium of a pair of interposed jewels.

A further object of the invention is to provide a jewel support for the arbor of a winding barrel, which in reducing resistance, permits a shorter winding spring, and consequently a smaller barrel than is now required in most types of watches.

These and various other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following description.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the winding barrel;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view diametrically through the barrel and associated parts;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the jewels.

Referring to the drawing, numeral 5 generally refers to a winding barrel for watches and other timepieces, having a bottom 6 and at the periphery of the bottom 6 are gear teeth I which mesh with the usual gear train found in watch mechanisms.

The barrel includes a cylindrical wall 8, reduced at its upper edge to provide a shoulder 9 upon which seats the edge portion of a cap plate Ill.

The central portions of the bottom 6 and cap plate are formed with circular openings H, l2 respectively, and at these portions of the bottom 6 and cap plate ID, the material is thickened inwardly to define hub portions l3, l4 respec-.

tively.

An arbor I5 of cylindrical form is disposed through these openings ll, l2 and has pintles l6, ll at the ends thereof, the pintle I 6 having a polygonal-shaped winding end portion l8. The intermediate portion of the arbor l5 has an annular or circumferentially disposed shoulder l9 which is interposed between the hub portions [3,

[4 of the bottom 6 and cap plate [0. To the shoulder I9 is secured one end of a winding spring 20, while the opposite end is wound around and otherwise secured as at 2| to a pin 22 which has its ends disposed into the bottom 6 and cap plate ID, or otherwise anchored.

A pair of jewels A, A of identical size for interchangeability are employed and each consists of a jewel collar 23 fitting snugly within the corresponding opening ll of the bottom 6 or the opening I2 of the cap plate [0. The inner end of each collar 23 has a circumferential flange 24 which assumes the position of inter-position between the inwardly projecting hub portions I3, I4 and the opposed face of the circumferential shoulder I9 on the arbor l5. By providing jewels A, A with flanges 24 the end-shake of the arbor l 5 in the winding barrel is maintained fixed during assembly and in use.

In the operation of 'the winding barrel, it can now be seen that the barrel rotates on the arbor [5 in driving the usual gear train (not shown) of a watch mechanism. The barrel is entirely supported by the two jewels A, A. The surfaces of the bottom 6 and cap plate In, at the openings I I, I2 ride against the peripheral surfaces of the collar portions 23 of the jewels, while the inner surfaces of the hub portions [3, l4 ride against the outer surfaces of the flanges 24 of the jewel collars 23, the collars 23 and flanges 24 being integral and of jewel material.

The jewels A, A are friction set within the bottom 6 and cap plate l0.

It is obvious that old watches can be equipped with the present improved barrel at nominal expense and such can be incorporated in new watches with but small added expense, if any. The difference in cost is offset by the added efficiency and easiness of taking the mechanism apart for cleaning and repairing and the fact that even a shorter winding spring can be used.

While the foregoing description sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A winding barrel for timepieces comprising a gear equipped barrel, a main spring in the barrel, one end of the main spring being secured to an outer portion of the barrel, an arbor disposed through the barrel and to which the other end of the spring is connected, said arbor being provided with a medially located annular shoulder, and identical jewels disposed into the sides of the barrel and adapted to receive the end portions of said arbor, said jewels being in the form of collars and provided with integrally formed outwardly extending flanges at their inner ends against the inner faces of which said shoulder of the arbor bears, said barrel having one side in the form of a removable cap plate into which one jewel is set, said plate and the opposite side 01' the barrel being provided with inwardly disposed hub portions bearing against the outer faces of the flangesofi the jewels.

ERNEST REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 804,728 Johnson Nov. 14, 1905 977,994 Austin Dec. 6, 1910 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 403,943 France Oct, 10, 1909 

